Before posting, carry out a bit of housekeeping and double check all the descriptions you are using, including any links, visuals and information across all your social media platforms and website, are current. Doing a mini audit of your social media at key times of the year is a good way to ensure everything stays up-to-date and is giving customers the latest information. 

CREATE FRESH CONTENT

• Now we are in January, people are eager to view fresh and new content.
• Spend more time taking new images and consider getting in a professional photographer, or at least find a keen amateur within your staff or a regular customer, to take some new shots.
• Having great visuals is all important when it comes to creating social media success.
• Take good images of all the best aspects of your business, from the garden to your dishes. Your delicious cocktails and cask beers, your team, bar and garden are all worth investing in getting really good images of. 

BE RELEVANT

• Show your healthy side! January is all about being healthier, eating better and potentially drinking less alcohol. 
• It's the perfect time to showcase your alternative offer - shine the spotlight onto your new and delicious vegan dishes and great range of interesting non-alcoholic drinks. 
• Use hashtags at the end of your posts to help people find your while they are searching, for instance, #vegan #alcoholfree, etc.

HASHTAGS

• Using hashtags with key words will help people find you, when searching. 
• Your location, region, maybe the area of the city you're based in, along with all your unique selling points are good features to hashtag, for instance: #countrypub #pub #beergarden #Sundayroasts #rugby #coffee.
• Also use hashtags to promote some of your top sellers and, if you offer accommodation, don't forget to include #pubswithrooms.
• If you're not already doing it, try including your products next time: #gin #FeverTree #BombaySapphire

TRY ADVERTISING IN JANUARY

• Paying for adverts can be a powerful part of your social media marketing. Many big brands have been running ads extensively in the run-up to Christmas, which means the cost of advertising becomes cheaper in January. 
• January and February can be a really good time to promote an advert that will drive people into your pub for an event or special offer, or even just use it to advertise your new winter menu or your wider range of new soft drinks. 
• You will find you can achieve far more with a smaller budget in these quieter months, by spending between £20-£50.

WHEN CREATING AN AD, DON'T FORGET:

• Have a clear call to action: ask people to do something, like 'book a table', 'give us a call', 'view the website' or ''share and follow us on social media'.
• Keep any text on the on the ad short and use visuals that are eye-catching. 
• Thinking carefully about who you want to target: your relevant pub audience, an area within 5kms of your pub, etc. 
• Appeal to the right age group - your target customer.
• Use hashtags to add in interest, from popular brand names to your best offer, i.e. #Sundayroast, #vegan, #cask.

RUN A COMPETITION

• Competitions always work well on social media. 
• Put up a free bottle of wine as a prize, and, again, ask people to do something to give your post more reach and customer engagement. 
• For instance, ask people to follow and comment on a post, or follow and tag your pub to the three friends they would like to share that bottle of wine with.
• While January and February might be the quietest months, you can use this to your advantage and give your pub the best chance to stand out and encourage them to rebook any cancelled parties. 
• Many brands and businesses remain relatively quiet over these months, so by encouraging engagement and activity you can only be onto a winner. 

This article was originally featured in the Winter 2022 edition of BII News, to read our latest issues and to look through the back catalogue of information available, click here.